Chase Ends With Wreck, Arrest in Toccoa

A South Carolina man faces charges in two states after allegedly stealing a car and leading area law enforcement on a chase through two counties that ended in Toccoa Thursday.

It started in Franklin County Thursday morning.

Franklin County Sheriff Stevie Thomas said deputies received word of a stolen vehicle out of South Carolina.

Thomas said his deputies attempted to stop the vehicle on Interstate 85, but it fled at speeds of up to 120 to 130 miles per hour, getting off the interstate at the State Route 320 exit.

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said the chase made its way to Stephens County, where his office became involved.

“We were trying to set up spike sticks but the individual got beyond them,” said Shirley. “We had joined in the pursuit and turned off of 106 onto the By-pass. He was driving very recklessly and turned onto 145 and then back onto 106.”

Shirley said the chase then made its way into Toccoa onto some side streets, eventually onto Elberton Street.

“The Franklin County deputy made contact with the quarter panel,” said Shirley. “They spun out and went over an embankment and ended up on the railroad tracks. That is what stopped the chase.”

Shirley said the deputy’s vehicle suffered some damage but nobody was hurt in the accident that ended the chase.

The sheriff went on to say that deputies and Georgia State Patrol troopers then surrounded the vehicle and took the suspect into custody without incident.

Authorities identified the suspect as 27-year-old Trevor Eugene Kilgore out of Starr, South Carolina.

According to the sheriff, Kilgore was turned over to Franklin County authorities and will face numerous charges in Georgia and South Carolina.

At last report, Kilgore was being held in the Franklin County Detention Center with no bond.

Shirley said he is just pleased that there was a safe end to such a dangerous situation.

“It was a very-high speed chase,” said Shirley. “He was driving very recklessly.”

Besides Franklin and Stephens County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Georgia State Patrol troopers, Shirley said the chase also involved the assistance of the Toccoa Police Department and the Motor Carrier Compliance Unit based on Interstate 85.